CHICAGO - For two solid hours Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones fielded questions at Big Ten football Media Days in Chicago on Tuesday.

While most of the other athletes representing their respective Big Ten programs had a break or two scattered throughout the round-table session, Jones stayed busy. Being in-demand is par for the course for an athlete when they are named their conference's preseason defensive player of the year.

Jones answered dozens of questions about the preseason accolades he has received. He was also asked the usual litany of questions, the Ohio State press corps asks each year to nearly every player from Ohio that didn't choose to play for the Buckeyes or in the case of Jones did not have a scholarship offer to play for the Buckeyes. The Spartan junior handled all of the questions he was asked with poise, confidence and the thoughtfulness that one would expect from a fifth-year senior.

In terms of on-field experience, Jones, who will be a three-year starter this season is as experienced as any football player in the Big Ten. As such, it seems strange to discuss an area in his game that Jones lacks experience.

But Jones was more than willing to discuss what he believes has to this point been a hole in his game, pass coverage. That is because Jones has worked his tail off during the off-season watching film, refining his technique in an effort to develop into a complete player at a position which is so multiple.

Defending the passing game is one of the most difficult aspects of the game for linebackers to learn. In comparison to most of his peers, Jones is pretty good against the pass. But ever the perfectionist, Jones wants to be the best he can at all aspects of the game.

"Coach said that was one of my weak points," explained Jones. "I agree with him, it was. I wasn't as effective on the pass as I was on the run. That is one of the things that I wanted to get better at during the offseason."